A great ‘nursery’ for play
Countless hours of play at Munibung Hill has left an indelible impression on Marie Costley. This is the opening instalment of an intergenerational family connection with the Hill that was just ‘always there.’
ALMOST A CENTENARIAN, Marie Costley was born in March 1926. At 98 she has vivid memories of a place that has become so much a part of people’s lives that to imagine that place going to wrack and ruin is unthinkable.
It is little wonder that we find people eager to share the Munibung Hill part of their history. And this 98 year old grandmother of three children, eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, is up for a chat about her love for the Hill that helped shape who she is today.
An outdoorsy person by nature, “Is her love of plants and the bush fostered by her times at Munibung Hill?” we ask. “Most likely,” she replies.
When a youngster of about 12 years old Marie would go up to Munibung Hill for picnics.
“It was a great ‘nursery’ for play,” said Marie.
Over all the years that Marie lived within a short distance from Munibung Hill, she and her childhood friends spent hours playing on and around the Hill.
“It was a safe place. There was like a lagoon near the top.”
“We would take cricket bats and other sporting gear to play with. Back then there were no playing fields like we have today. You improvised with whatever was around.”
“And of course with no distractions like mobile phones and computer games, we made our own fun and games. Nearly all of them were outdoors unless the weather kept us inside. Even then they were board games or cards, things you did with family and friends.”
Marie remembers Munibung Hill was cleared for cattle grazing and for farming of fruit and vegetables.
“A lot of people took bags of spuds that they baked on little make-shift camp fires – usually for lunch, because we had to be home by tea time. There was no fear of the fires getting away. For one thing, it wasn’t bush like now, because of the clearing. There were still pockets of undisturbed forests along the creeks, and they were also great places for us to ‘hang-out’.”
“Friends included girls and boys and my brother George McGeachie. I remember a special birthday party we had for George. We took the whole lot up onto Munibung Hill, cake and soft drinks. We had a great time, because it was our playground area anyway, so we were in our element – right at home so to speak,” said Marie.
Marie Costley lived at Speers Point Hotel (now known as Pippi’s Hotel) corner of Main Road and The Esplanade. This was from age 10 to 12. After that the family moved away, but returned again in about 1939, when Marie was 13. This time to live in Mary Street, Speers Point, where she lived until 1958.
Marie started school at Boolaroo Public. After primary it was off to high school. “But that wasn’t around the corner or the next suburb like it is now,” Marie said.
and then walking. It was quite a trek, then back again in the afternoon.”
Marie’s love of nature has been passed down through the generations. Her children share her passion for keeping green spaces – we call it green infrastructure today, in keeping with our industrial way of describing things – where we can get some fresh air, unwind and connect with wildlife.
Marie introduces us to her daughter-in-law Joanne, who is happy to share her story as well. And Joanne’s partner John – who is Marie’s son – often takes Marie’s grandchildren for walks at Munibung Hill. And so the appreciation for green open public landscapes is being passed down.
We chat about the importance of story, noting that this is often what is missing within family life, but not here. The intergenerational aspect of what Marie has set in train is compelling – beyond what is acknowledged in our myopic anthropogenic worldview.
There are more instalments to this story. And we will publish them over the coming issues of Munibung Musings Magazine.
This is an edited version of an interview with Marie Costley, at the home of Ian and Judi Dawes, Speers Point, Tuesday 1 October, 2024.
… From MMM Issue #47, Dec 24 – Jan 25